Heat exchanger for hot water. Plate heat exchanger for a private house: description, characteristics and reviews

The shell-and-tube construction, which the heat exchanger possessed, where the mediums moved towards each other along the tubes, is a thing of the past. This very cumbersome device functioned quite efficiently, but it was not able to boast of an impressive expense of the heated medium. He was replaced by new units, which are plate-type high-speed heat exchangers.

general description

If you decide to equip the DHW, the plate heat exchanger will help you with this. Structurally, new units differ from shell-and-tube precursors. The area of the base of the exchange and the thermal energy of the latter became larger due to the increase in the size of the coil, this entailed more impressive dimensions of the device. In a new heat exchanger, this goal is achieved by increasing the number of plates of the same area. The design has the same power, but its dimensions are 3 times smaller than shell-and-tube analogues. In this case, the device is capable of providing a larger flow rate of the heated medium. This includes water, which is consumed for the needs of hot water supply. This is what led to the emergence of the second name of the device, which sounds like a high-speed one. When installing DHW, a plate heat exchanger must be used. If we are talking about the simplest design, it will have nozzles that are located on two different sides of the device. Between the plates that are on the two guides, you can see a number of plates, between them is a rubber seal. In order to increase the surface of the exchange, there is relief embossing on each plate. It is noteworthy that the connecting pipes can be located on one side of the unit, on the front plate, however this has no effect on the principle of the heat exchanger functioning.

Principle of operation

If you are working on a DHW installation, you will definitely need a plate heat exchanger. The principle of its work is that the coolant gradually fills the space between the plates. This happens in turn with the heated medium. The shape of the gaskets determines the order of filling, in one section they provide the flow path of the coolant, while in the other - the heat sink. Heat exchange by means of plates on both sides occurs during operation in each section, excluding the last one. Both media flow through the sections towards each other, as for the heating medium, it comes from above, and then exits through the lower branch pipe. If we are talking about a heated medium, then its path is directed in the opposite direction.

Main technical characteristics

If you decide to equip the DHW, a plate heat exchanger will be absolutely necessary for you. Gaskets and plates can be made of a variety of materials, their choice will depend on the purpose of the device, since the scope of use of such heat exchangers is very wide. This article deals with hot water supply and heating systems, where they act as heat-power equipment. If the plates are used for this sphere, then they are made of stainless steel, while the gasket is based on NBR or EPDM rubber. The first case concerns a heat exchanger made of stainless steel, which is able to function with a heat carrier heated to 110 degrees. If it is a question of the second case, the water can turn out to be heated up to 170 degrees.

For reference

These heat exchangers are used for different technological processes, in this case alkali, acids, oils and other media flow through them. In this case, the plates are made of nickel, titanium and all kinds of alloys, as for the gaskets, then the basis is asbestos, fluororubber and other materials.

Customer feedback on the choice and calculation of the heat exchanger

The plate heat exchanger for the DHW system must be selected and calculated using software. According to the users, some basic parameters must be taken into account, among them the initial water temperature , the coolant flow , the necessary temperature of the liquid heating, and also the flow rate of the heated medium. The role of a heating medium that will flow through a plate heat exchanger designed for hot water systems can be water, its temperature reaches 95 or 115 degrees. If we are talking about a couple, then its temperature reaches 180 degrees. This will depend on the variety of boiler equipment used. Users emphasize the size and number of plates should be selected so that the water at the outlet has a maximum temperature within 70 degrees or less.

Comments on some of the advantages of a plate-type heat exchanger

The plate heat exchanger for hot water supply, according to consumers, has many advantages. This is expressed not only in the ability to provide an impressive expenditure, but also in fairly modest amounts. Among other things, the range of the exchangeable areas and the flow rate of the described unit is very wide. The smallest have a surface area of one square meter or more, they are designed to flow 0.2 cubic meters of liquid for 1 hour. The largest plate heat exchanger for domestic hot water has a surface area of 2,000 square meters, while the consumption is 3,600 cubic meters per hour.

Feedback on heat exchanger units

Consumers emphasize that the described units can be of the following types. It is necessary to single out the collapsible ones, which are the most common, they allow the high-speed heat exchanger to be serviced and serviced quickly and efficiently. Home masters distinguish welded and brazed devices, they do not have rubber gaskets, and the plates are interconnected rigidly, they are placed in a single case during manufacture. If you choose a plate heat exchanger for domestic hot water domestic hot water, then, according to the craftsmen, a brazed heat exchanger should be preferred, which can be adapted for heating and cooling water.

Feedback on the piping of the heat exchanger

If you prefer a plate heat exchanger for hot water "Reedan", then it can be installed using the same technology that is used for other similar units. Most often the installation of such heat-power equipment requires the presence of an individual boiler house, which is located in a multi-unit residential building. It can also be about industrial enterprises, as well as heat points of district heating systems of a centralized type. The main goal, according to the masters, is to obtain a coolant for the needs of hot water supply, the water temperature will not exceed 70 degrees. If high-temperature and steam boilers are to be used, the coolant temperature should be 95 degrees or less. Since the heat exchanger has a small weight and size, according to users, its installation is easy enough, but powerful units provide a foundation.

Be that as it may, it is necessary to fill the foundation pillars, with their help the device can be reliably strengthened in its place. The heating medium must be connected to the upper branch pipe, and the return pipeline must be connected to the fitting that is under it. Masters are advised to supply the heated coolant to the lower branch pipe, the water outlet will be through the upper.

The water supply circuit must have a circulation pump that is located on the supply line. If you follow the installation rules, then in addition to the pump there must be parallel equipment, which has the same power.

Cost

If you need a plate heat exchanger for hot water, the price of which can vary from 12000 to 25000 rubles, you should first become familiar with the installation technology. Only after this, experts recommend starting to select a certain model of the device. Only in this way you can make the right choice of a device that will work with a high level of efficiency.